Hank Haney: Relationship with Tiger was 'always dysfunctional'
Jun 29, 2010, 5:15 PM EST
Cheap shots or bon mots? One could consider Hank Haney’s latest revelations about Tiger Woods as both, I suppose. Haney, who resigned as Woods’ swing coach on May 10, nevertheless is still breaking down the golf game — and personality — of the world’s greatest golfer for seemingly anyone who will listen. Haney discussed Woods in an interview with Guy Yocum in the August issue of Golf Digest, in which he said Woods was often uncommunicative, the point that it was hurting their coach-pupil relationship. And Haney also implied that Woods was cheap, which was the most surprising part of the interview for me.
Golf Digest: You felt the onus was on him to call you?
Haney: “Right. I sent him an e-mail on everything I thought he should do and work on. I got no acknowledgement at all, but that wasn’t unusual. Then it got to the point where I didn’t know what he was doing or thinking. Yet the whole time he was telling the media I was still his teacher and that I was going to continue to be his teacher and I was talking to him every night.”
GD: It sounds like it became dysfunctional.
Haney: “It didn’t get dysfunctional; it always was dysfunctional.”
Haney said that following the Masters, he tried to get in touch with Woods, with little success.
Haney: “I talked to him only two times after that. That was his way of blaming me. Maybe I’m reading too much into it; maybe I’m being too sensitive. But when someone doesn’t talk to you…”
GD: Do teachers get too much credit for players’ successes, and too much blame for their failures?
Haney: “I don’t see teachers getting a lot of credit, and that’s fine. Tiger deserves the credit, not me. I didn’t hit the shots; he did. I don’t think I deserved a great deal of credit, but on the other hand I don’t feel I deserved the lion’s share of the blame when he struggled.”
GD: Can you describe other frustrations?
Haney: “Every once in a while I sent him some pretty long e-mails or texts on things I thought he needed to do. I sent one after the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot. Tiger never even acknowledged he got the e-mail. That was just the way he was. He never responded that he even got it. There was one time when Elin told me, “Hey, Tiger got your e-mail, and he really liked it.”
Then, Haney was asked how much Tiger paid him over the six years he was his coach. Although evasive, Haney gave the impression that Woods felt being associated with him was payment in and of itself, to a great degree.
GD: Was Tiger generous with you? Did he express his appreciation to you in unusual ways, such as signing flags for you or dropping you notes?
Haney: “Generosity is relative. It was generous of him to give me the job. I don’t have anything signed by Tiger, no. Not one thing.”
GD: Did Tiger pay you well?
Haney: “I don’t want to answer that. There’s no reason for me to go there.”
GD: “It’s been said that Tiger views any association with him as helping that person out. Do you go along with that?”
Haney: “You said it, I didn’t.”
***
Why is this man smiling? [Golf Digest]
Haney Takes Cheap Shots At ‘Dysfunctional’ Tiger [SportsbyBrooks]
-
- Wanda - Jul 1, 2010 at 1:27 AM
-
John, apparently you and DSW both fell out of the same “idiot tree”. As I read all of the comments, both in favor of the Hank Haney interview and against, I marvel at the levels that people sink to over a story that should in all regards be a “non-starter”. First of all, it should not matter to anyone but the people who Tiger employs how generous he is with his money. In some of the responses it is apparent that the comments are either based in jealousy, idol-worship gone bad, or a combination of both. I cannot understand how people could be so incensed at someone who is a stranger to them and who did nothing to harm them in the least. Why should any one of you writing in here care who or how many women Tiger Woods has slept with. As long as it wasn’t your mother, sister, wife, daughter, aunt, neice, etc. (you get the point), why should you care? Tiger Woods is not the first man (famous or not) to cheat on his wife, nor will he be the last. And the last time I looked, although it is distasteful behavior for anyone to be unfaithful, it is not against the law. Tiger Woods is not accountable to me, you or anyone but his immediate family. He is not accountable to the media, other professional golfers, etc. Every man and woman alive (at least of the human variety) presents a different facade in their professional life from the one they present in their personal life. None of us go around with a sign announcing our flaws and shortcomings. So all of you pious, holier-than-thou people that are upset because Tiger Woods didn’t let on that he was sleeping around need to really get a life. None of us know exactly what went on in the Woods’ marriage, and frankly it is not any of our business. And just as the alleged steroid scandal in MLB, we do not know for sure who was/is using steroids (unless they fail the tests), and you certainly cannot say that Tiger Woods is, all any of you/us can do is speculate. Whether you like the man or not, is neither here or there. Everyone is entitled to his/her own beliefs and behavior and none of you/us are the moral values police. And for those idiots who keep saying that they are tired of reading about TW, stop clicking on the damn links and you won’t have to read them. Stop picking up the tabloid magazines to see what the next “juicy” tidbit is about. If you all stop reading it, eventually the media will begin to realize that there is nothing more of interest to write about (except his golf pursuits), and they will stop writing it.
In regards to the alleged incident with the sky cap, I say who cares whether Woods tipped or not. Many people, with more billions and millions than he (you and me) will every see don’t believe in tipping people for doing the job that they are paid to do. It seems to me that the same idiots who put Tiger Woods up on this “invisible” pedestal are the ones who are now deeply “hurt and dismayed” to find out he has character flaws. Well, color me pink, I could have saved all of you the hurt and pain and told you that all human beings are flawed, and those of you who think you aren’t are delusional. So grow up, move on past Tiger and his alleged mistresses, and get a life. Thata’s my two cents worth and I am entitled to it.
-
- Doocon - Jul 1, 2010 at 8:13 AM
-
Your long drawn diatribe sounds like you have made more than just a pacing glance at the tabloids at the grocery store check out line that you say we should dismiss. Chances are you checked out Ricks column and commented more than once. Hmmmmm?! Get a life?! Hmmm?
-
- Woofie - Jul 1, 2010 at 1:29 PM
-
Tiger chose to make his character and lifestyle an issue when he started bragging and making money off those issues. Since he chose to be judged by those issues, and made a lot of money due to them, he now becomes fair game, when found out to be a fraud.
Many people used him as a model to their kids. He showed us that from a developmental age, practice and training can lead to great possibilities. He showed us how someone can redesign their body to match new and different equipment and succeed in a sport and life.
He then tried to teach us that all the values he espoused, which made him very wealthy, had only a minimal meaning in his life. He showed us that the family and personal values that he hid behind were only a sham. Now we are being told we should start with a clean slate. Those that once respected him are suggesting that it is his responsibility to clean that slate.
We see none of that happening. Ego and arrogance, not humility, are preventing any noticeable reform. Tiger has a long way to go to gain anyone’s acceptance and respect. The ball is in his court!
-
- Johnnie - Jul 1, 2010 at 5:46 PM
-
When I was at the U.S. Open, I was standing on the seventeenth and fourth hole. These two holes are essentially right next to each other. As I saw Tiger finish his third hole, there was an airplane above us that had a banner that read: “Tiger, are you my daddy?” Obviously, it was Father’s Day, and the joke reflected that. My point, though, is that nobody really laughed out loud. People were too afraid to show their true emotions. My wife, who was standing on the cart path, saw him take off his sweater and scream some expletives. So I know he saw it, and I know it affected his play at least a little bit.
I don’t see what Haney as doing as brave or cowardly, but if were to pick from the two, I would lean toward the brave because people just don’t think of picking on Tiger, and why not? Why was the crowd so hush? There was nobody on the tee box at the time. Also, look at the media scrutiny that everybody from the President to Lady Gaga gets. Nearly everybody deserves some respect and credit, but Tiger doesn’t give them out. That is the first thing he needs to do; just respect people and their feelings. They will respect him back for that.
-
- Lisa - Jul 6, 2010 at 5:36 PM
-
Thank you for your comments. Yours are the most rational.
-
- Doff Trolio - Jul 8, 2010 at 10:02 PM
-
Say what you like about Mr. Woods, but without “we the people” Mr Woods is nothing. That is somethiong that he does not seem to know.. Now He and He alone got himself in the mess he is in. The news media knew what was taking place with him all along, yet they said nothing. Poor John Daly cannot move without a media blast. John does not deny what he is and that makes a world of difference. When he is on the course a large croud follows him. Wood is rude self centered, poor loser, not people frendly. He made his bed let him sleep in it. If he ever makes a cut again it will be too soon for me.
-
- oh2golf - Jul 14, 2010 at 12:34 AM
-
I do not condone what Tiger has done in his private life. He makes a living at one thing and one thing only, playing golf. He owes nothing to the public. Does a golfer get extra score perks because he’s a “good guy”, no. You shoot 65 you get 65, not 64. What kills me is that people believe Tiger is the only golfer in the world who has cheated on his wife. That is laughable. Arnie, Freddie, Watson? Did they or didn’t they?
-
- Marjorie - Jul 14, 2010 at 5:14 PM
-
Actually, from my perspective, Hank Haney is the one who shows less class than Tiger here. He resigned and then goes to Golf Digest to bash Tiger. I guess he should stick to golf academy teaching because if I were a golfer, I would want to think he would treat me the same way. Talk about kicking a man when he is down. Not a good characteristic. Talk about Tiger all you want, but I have never heard him publicly throw anyone under the bus, including Steve Williams (his caddy). Tiger is guilty of adultry (like many in American, in the Bible and around the world), but he certainly did not rape or murder anyone that I know of. I am hoping that he will win sometime in the near future and wife the hate/smile off a lot of faces. Tiger now knows how the golfing world has not changed from the 50s. I don’t know if has learned that people only love you as long as you are perfect.
